Bendel’s Best: NC Phenom 150 Camp

This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina for another phenomenal day of basketball. Our annual Phenom 150 Camps have become a regular staple in our yearly routine, especially with this spring camp, as guys try to make their last push for an invite to the prestigious NC Top 80 on March 10th. There were plenty of prospects that college coaches should be interested in, but also an abundance of guys worth tabbing for the future. This article will take a deeper look at some of my favorite standouts throughout the day.

6’3 ’22 Julius Reese Jr. (Kernersville, NC)

The freshman claimed MVP honors at camp and did so with great poise, scoring, creating, communicating, and leading by example throughout the day. Last year at this time, Reese already possessed great polish and a well-rounded skillset, but his body and overall demeanor has improved noticeably. Reese plays with confidence and understands how to dictate the offensive action without needing to break a sweat. He reliably creates for himself and others, and looks to make the right play whenever possible. We mentioned him on our roundtable discussion as one of the top freshman to watch in North Carolina and his performance at camp only continued to support that sediment.

6’3 ’22 Nolan Hodge (Greensboro, NC)

Unlike most of these prospects, we’ve actually seen Hodge outside of our camps and events since he was in fifth and sixth grade, before basketball was his primary focus. He’s always possessed an incredibly natural feel for the game, which has paired nicely with his constantly improving frame. Hodge is so smooth with the ball in his hands, playing intelligent, under control, and looking to set up others whenever possible. He understands the game extremely well, but just lacks the necessary physical strength to dominate his assignment right now. That being said, Hodge is already an incredibly efficient playmaker and perimeter shooter that is truly only beginning to scratch the surface of his long-term potential. He is a likely candidate to start trending upward over the next calendar year or so.

5’8 ’22 Quentin Rice (Morganton, NC)

Arguably the most exciting prospect on display was Rice, a somewhat small, yet muscular point guard prospect with a lot of clear two-way talent. It’s crazy to think that he saw limited minutes at Freedom, since he would’ve likely started at a wide variety of programs across the state. Rice is very quick with the ball in his hands and does a phenomenal job of creating for others. He showed the ability to effectively score the ball on all three levels and consistently broke down his assignment by utilizing his tight handle. Rice’s defensive commitment and overall motor stood out noticeably throughout the day, as he didn’t take a single possession off during camp. The sharp, high IQ point guard is already stationed at one of the top programs in the state, so it’s likely that we’ll hear his name emerge sooner than later.

6’2 ’19 Trevon Bell (Fayetteville, NC)

In terms of unsigned seniors, Bell was atop the list of guys worth noting, considering he should absolutely be looked at as a scholarship-worthy prospect. Bell is long, athletic wing prospect that provides a strong two-way presence to his team. He’s able to reliably score, create, and defend without stepping out of his comfort zone. Bell utilizes his length and motor exceptionally well when defending and fighting for extra possessions on the glass. He’s an underrated passer that is capable of making excellent reads with the ball in his hands. Bell typically looks to get downhill and attack the basket or pull-up from midrange, but he also showcased the ability to knock down three-pointers during his time at camp. It’s pretty surprising that Bell doesn’t have more action in his recruitment, but that should likely change before his high school career concludes.

6’4 ’19 Colin Radcliffe (Richlands, NC)

Though somewhat reserved, Radcliffe was among the most electric all-around prospects in the gym on Sunday. He possesses a terrific blend of size, shooting, athleticism, and creation skills, which simply made him a matchup problem for anyone in his path. Radcliffe plays well above the rim and absorbs contact quite well when working around the basket. He rebounds the ball at a strong level for his position and looks to compete on every single possession. Radcliffe has virtually no holes within his skillset, which makes his lack of recruitment somewhat perplexing, but he’s definitely a scholarship-worthy unsigned senior that coaches should take an extra look at.